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Email Indicates that a Former Prosecutor Assisted JBS Executives with Plea Bargain Statements

Former prosecutor Marcello Miller had a script in his email account that contained instructions on how the the executives at JBS and their lawyers had to conduct themselves if they wanted to reach a plea bargain agreement with the General Prosecutor's Office (PGR). The email was made public after a warrant was issued lifting the secrecy of his email account.

Folha gained access to the email which was sent on March 9th, 2017, two days after Joesley Batista recorded his conversation with president Michel Temer at the Jaburu Palace. The document, which had the title "meeting script number two", indicates that the Prosecutor's Office already knew that the president would be among those targeted by informants.

The email also included a step-by-step description of how JBS executives should conduct themselves during the interviews. The most important instruction detailed what to tell investigators. "For the first time, we are handing over BNDES [the Brazilian Development Bank], investment funds, Temer, Aécio, Dilma, Cunha, Mantega and, in a way, Lula as well", said Mr. Miller.

The JBS testimony was brought into question after it was suspected that the former prosecutor worked alongside the company's lawyers while he was still working for the Prosecutor's Office. He denies the allegations, stating that he only helped them with "linguistic and grammatical" changes.

The email in question contradicts his version of the facts. It also contradicts the versions put forward by JBS and former Attorney General Rodrigo Janot. They had maintained that president Temer's name had not been brought up during initial negotiations. When asked for a comment, Mr. Miller's defense reaffirmed its original position. Mr. Janot said he had nothing to add on the matter.

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